Beck characterized letter criticizing Al Qaeda as "surprising," because "the man who wrote it is a Muslim"
On November 15, during his one-hour CNN Headline News special titled "Exposed: The Extremist Agenda," Glenn Beck described as "surprising" a letter by Islamic Society of Nevada director Aslam Abdullah criticizing Al Qaeda in Iraq. The reason it is surprising, according to Beck? Because "the man who wrote it is a Muslim." Abdullah criticized Al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Hamza al-Muhajer for "abandon[ing] God" and accused the leaders of Al Qaeda of "hid[ing] in your caves and behind the faces of civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq." Beck began the program "by airing some unbelievable propaganda used by extremists," and he pledged to devote the hour to those who "use religion to justify their hatred."
Beck's characterization of Abdullah's remarks as "surprising" because he "is a Muslim" echoed his comments on November 14. During an interview that day with Rep.-elect Keith Ellison (D-MN), who became the first Muslim ever elected to Congress on November 7, Beck said: "I have been nervous about this interview with you, because what I feel like saying is, 'Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies.' " As Media Matters for America has noted, Beck previously warned that if "Muslims and Arabs" don't "act now" by "step[ping] to the plate" to condemn terrorism, they "will be looking through a razor wire fence at the West." He has also declared that "Muslims who have sat on your frickin' hands the whole time" rather than "lining up to shoot the bad Muslims in the head" will face dire consequences.
From the November 15 edition of CNN Headline News' Glenn Beck:
BECK: A few months ago, my producers showed me a video of Islamic extremists leading a massive rally against Israel and the U.S. in the Middle East. It shocked me to my core. Not just because of the size of the crowds and the depth of their hatred, but it was beyond that.
Here I am. I'm a guy who's in the U.S. media, and I had never seen that video before. That is when I made the decision to create this hour-long special devoted to exposing everything that I had seen, and everything that you are not seeing.
In just a minute, we're going to start by airing some unbelievable propaganda used by extremists. But first, I want to make a couple of very important points about what you are going to see in the next hour.
Number one, you've heard me say this over and over again: I am not a journalist. More importantly, I don't pretend to be one. I have also been extremely honest with you every step of the way if you watch this program every night.
I am a conservative, so when you hear me talk about anything from politics to religion to, yes, Islamic extremists, you have to understand that I express my opinions fully, no matter what anybody else thinks, like it or not, right through that prism.
I also want to make it clear that this next hour is not balanced perspective on Islam or the Middle East, but it is an important part of the story. It has to be understood and seen if we're ever truly going to accomplish balanced coverage.
Finally, the video you are going to see tonight is from all over the Middle East, people that are involved in many different conflicts. But there is one common thread: They all use religion to justify their hatred. And it all starts with one of most important weapons that they have in their arsenal: the weapon of propaganda.
[...]
BECK: A couple of months ago, the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq urged his supporters to each kill at least one American in the next 15 days. It was a shocking statement, but hardly surprising.
Then, just a few days later, I came across a response to that message of hate that was surprising. It said, "You hid in your caves and behind the faces of civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq. You have abandoned God and have started worshipping your own satanic egos that rejoice at the killing of innocent people."
Why do I say that statement, something that many of us agree with, is surprising? Because the man who wrote it is a Muslim. He lives right here in the United States.
BECK: Dr. Aslam Abdullah, he is the director of the Islamic Society of Nevada. He is the author of that powerful letter, and he joins me now.
Doctor, thank you so much for being a part of the program.
ABDULLAH: Thank you very much for having me on your show.
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If you're muslim, well then you are a terrorist sympathizer (per Beck). This guy is a dolt... a mouthpiece for the GOPs dumb-guy brigade. Is this 'common sense' or plain stupidy/bigotry? (rhetorical)
"No offense, and I know Muslims. I like Muslims. I've been to mosques. I really don't believe that Islam is a religion of evil. I -- you know, I think it's being hijacked, quite frankly."
"Why do I say that statement, something that many of us agree with, is surprising? Because the man who wrote it is a Muslim."
OK, which is it? If you don't believe Islam is a religion of evil, that it's being hijacked, then a letter from a Muslim denouncing the hijackers in question should hardly be surprising. Right?
It couldn't be more blatant.
As is typical with bigots, they rarely admit they are bigoted and always have plenty of justifications on hand.
You see. In Beckland, all Muslims are bad and they support Al Quada. Also all Christians support the war in Iraq and think President Bush is doing a heckuva job.
It's so easy isn't it in Beckland.
Look at most terrorist attacks carried out in the name of Allah around the world, and you'll also see a lot of Muslim clerics, and other well respected Muslims decrying said attacks, and coming out against terrorists in general. We don't see too much of that though, because our media would rather show us the gathering of 20 kids in the streets of some Muslim nation celebrating those attacks.
There are plenty, and I would say, the vast majority of Muslims around the world who do indeed hate terrorism, and hate the terrorists, and believe that these few idiots are ruining a beautiful religion for the rest of them.
This guy truly hates people of the Islamic faith. CNN better look at what it is trying to accomplish by allowing someone who wants to divide and polarize to continue to be broadacast on their network.
Now that it appears that the most polarizing politicians have either been neutralized or run off the scene maybe their polarizing mouth pieces will follow suit.
I hope that day comes, but I dont see how with hatemongers like Beck and FAUX News. But we can hope.
..."He lives right here in the United States," as if he's also surprised that there are Muslims living in the US.
It's absolutely tragic that CNN has deteriorated to the point where they give blathering fools like Beck a platform to spew their hatred, bigotry and found-in-their-ass facts.
Until such time as we drop all reference to religion when describing any terrorist group, we will continue to do exactly what these groups want - associate religion with terrorism.
A terrorist is a terrorist - period!
Of course, I wouldn't expect Beck to grasp this concept since it's obviously far beyond his schit-for-brains capabilities.
Apparently, this is a new concept for Beck and one that applies exclusively to Islam.
The use of propoganda for this purpose is also something that is new and surprising to him.
So what new ground is this moron breaking? Why does he think he's being so innovative? And more importantly, why, why, WHY did Turner give this guy a TV show?
Frontline has been bringing us in-depth and often firsthand looks at Islamic extremism for years now and without having to resort to the slimy, prejudiced hyperbole. Do yourself a favor and visit frontline.org if you want the real story.
Since Sept 11? Because they lost the support of most muslims due to their stupid, poorly thought out, attack. They violated islamic scripture by attacking innocent civilians and brought the 800 pound gorilla (USA) down upon muslims across the world.
A muslim writes a book disparaging Al Queada and Beck is surprised? He's an idiot. Most Muslims HATE Al Queda. Al Queda is not muslim. It's an outlying, self involved, hate group using islam to justify its actions. Remember the Klan using christianity to justify its actions?
I've been reading some of the comments about Beck on a far-right wingnut blog, and to hear these clowns talk about him you'd think Beck was the Second Coming. These are the paranoiacs who see a Muslim with a sword clenched in his teeth lurking in every shadow. To them, Beck's the only one who "gets it." In fact, they decry how Beck is forced by "political correctness" to temper his opinions on Muslims. They think he went way too soft on Ellison.
These are some messed-up folks who need to leave their parents' basements every now and then and take a look at the real world.
Using religion to justify hatred is not a muslim thing; It is a religious (OK maybe not the Buddhists...) thing and if you stack up the bodies I think the Christians have a lot more to explain in that regard.
Oh and Glenn you were right about 1 thing: you aren't a journalist.
Hindus (not the way a few of them act, the way their religion instruct them to act).
What do you mean about Hindus and their religion instructing them to act like that? Where are they instructed to act like that?
THANK YOU. ngjuy93@yahoo.com
For the show, and the title, "Exposed: The Extremist Agenda", I thought, " Beck is going to expose himself" and without realizing it himself, ...... he did.
I listen to Beck in the mornings to remind myself why I am a progressive. The man is a self-righteous bigot who hides behind his "Aw shucks folks I'm just a rodeo clown" persona. In each of his shows he always is quick to mention that not ALL Moslems are bad. But then he spends most of his show denigrating Moslems and airing clips of what Moslem extremists are saying. He tries to whip his audience into a frenzy by breathlessly reporting on how Moslems are going to take over the world and cut the heads off of good God-fearing Americans. It would be like someone getting on the air and saying, "You know, not all Blacks are criminals" and then going over a long list of crimes committed by Blacks. What would be the point except to incite hatred against a certain group of people? Beck is a disgrace and it is disgusting that CNN has him on. By the way, as another poster here wrote, Beck's followers think he is GOD! They call in and tell him how wonderful he is and how he is the only person out there telling "the truth" about the Moslem threat--blahh, blahh, blahh. We have far too many morons in this country.
Sounds like a lot of right-wing fundamentalist I know right here in the good ole US ofA. You know, the Christianists.
and somehow I am not surprise. See how that playing field levels out.
Beck and all of us, lucky bastards in the West know as much about Islam and Muslims as Bush knows about physics, mkay?
the "Race Bating Crazy Person Hour".
But, I guess the powers that be at CNN feel Beck, who has no background or credentials to provide any level of authoritative commentary (see Glen) provides a service to draw viewers so CNN can sell stuff.
I guess I don't know what part of Glenn Beck's comments you don't understand. He was very up front about where his opinions originate and from what we see it the middle east, it could be seen as surprising to see a Muslim say what Abdullah said. I'm disappointed that you did not include any of Abdullah's response to give further context to the conversation. I seems that the point that is trying to be made is that Beck is an extremist and is irresponsible in what he says. If you read the transcript it shows that is NOT the case. It's as if you give whatever comes out of the mouth of a Muslim or terrorist a pass, but if Glenn Beck says anything, then you jump all over it because its not "Politically Correct". Do we hear you reporting the what the terrorist organizations are saying as sensational? I think not.
The reason he said it was surprising, if you cared to watch the program, was because Muslims as a whole are not standing up against the extremist. They do not denounce them, they do not turn them in. They issue a Fatwah and then do nothing. They still alow the extremist wing of the faith and ethnic group speak for them. That is why it is surprising that a prominent Muslim would publicly decry these extremist and try to seperate moderate from extreme.
If you can put your emotions aside for a moment and apply some logic you may be able to understand what Beck is saying.
He (like me) is surprised because since 9/11 there has been nothing but a vacuum regarding Muslim opposition or the denouncing of terrorist acts. Radical Muslims parade in the streets when American military are killed or our buildings fall, and they cheer when heads get cut off. SHOW ME a vocally opposed Muslim publicly speaking against the evil bastards perpetrating these horrible crimes. Anyone? Beuller? You can't find this message. If I'm wrong, please educate me and I'll happily spread the word.
My point is clear: there are NO vocal Muslim opponents of Radical Muslims.